Melton

Melton's population grew in the 10 years leading up to 2011. At the same time there were changes in religion, housing tenure and work life.

The population passed 50,000

In the 10 years leading up to the latest census, the population of Melton increased by 5.2%, from almost 47,900 to 50,400.

The addition of about 2,500 people means this area's population increased at a slower rate than the total population of England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Melton was home to, on average, 0.75 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was lower than the average across the East Midlands

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across the East Midlands, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Melton

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Melton increased by three years, from 40 to 43 years.

This rural area had a higher average age than the East Midlands and remained somewhat older than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The rise in age was because of an increase of almost 1,900 people between the ages of 60 and 69 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by just under 2,000.

About 13% of people in Melton are aged between 60 and 69 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, East Midlands and Melton by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

More single parents

The percentage of households in Melton, which comprised a single parent, increased from 6.7% to 8.6% between the last two censuses.

In 2011, just under 4 in 10 (39%) households had a married couple, compared with 45% in 2001. The percentage of households in Melton, which comprised a cohabiting couple, increased from 8.9% to 11%.

The proportion of single-parent households increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the East Midlands (from 8.8% in 2001 to 9.8% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 9.5% to 11%.

The percentage of households with a single-parent in Melton increased by 1.8 percentage points

Percentage of households in Melton, the East Midlands and England that had a single parent, March 2001 and March 2011

Changes in family structure

Melton saw the East Midlands' second-largest fall in the proportion of households with adult children living with their parents.

In 2011, just over 1 in 11 (9.1%) households in Melton had only adult children living with their parents, compared with 10.0% in 2001. The percentage with at least one child decreased from 30% to 28%.

Across the region, only Hinckley and Bosworth saw a greater fall in the proportion of households with adult children living with their parents (from 11% to 9.7%).

The proportion of households with only adult children living with their parents was lower than across the East Midlands

Percentage of households where a parent lived with their adult children across local authority areas in the East Midlands and the average across England, March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Melton residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 6.3% to 3.7% between the last two censuses.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just over 8 in 10 (84%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 72% in 2001. The percentage of Melton residents that described their health as fair decreased from 21% to 13%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the East Midlands (from 9.4% in 2001 to 5.7% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 9.1% to 5.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Melton decreased by 2.6 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Melton, the East Midlands and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

Religion in Melton

The number of people in Melton that described themselves as Christian decreased from about 38,000 in 2001 to about 34,000 in 2011. This represents a change from 79% to 68% of the local population.

The percentage decreased by less than the average across the East Midlands (from 72% to 59%) and the average across England (from 72% to 59%).

The number of people in Melton that described themselves as having no religion increased from about 6,400 in 2001 to just over 12,000 in 2011 (from 13% to 24%). The number of people who did not disclose their religious affiliation increased from just under 3,200 to just under 3,300. However, as a percentage of the total population, this represented a decrease from 6.6% to 6.5%.

Just over 210 people (0.3%) said they were Hindu, up from just over 160 in 2001 (0.4%).

The population who identified as Christian in Melton decreased by 11 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, East Midlands and Melton by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

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Area report data

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